Operating mechanism and dynamics of the F1-ATPase molecular motor
报告人:
Dr Ming S. Liu (劉明昇)
Centre for Molecular Simulation, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
报告时间:
2007-03-23 10:00
报告地点:
清华大学 逸夫技术科学楼 力学系多功能报告厅 (1512)
主办单位:
清华大学航天航空学院
简介:
Abstract
F1-ATPase is an ATP-powered rotary molecular motor crucial for various cellular functions. It promises unique applications in bionanotechnology. However for F1-ATPase, the operating mechanism and dynamics largely remain unknown at molecular level. To achieve a full understanding of F1-ATPase, we tackle the mechanism and dynamical problems with multilevel molecular simulations in conjunction with some experimental observations. Essential issues, such as, a) mechanochemical transduction from the nucleotides reaction to the subunits rotation; b) complex and interactive cooperatively between the catalysis sites; c) dynamical transitions, flexibility and collective motion of the binding pocket and the active subunits; d) energetics of the nucleotide reactions etc, are revealed with an atomistic resolution. These approaches are applicable for investigating mechanochemistry and dynamics of other ATP- fuelled biomolecular motors, as well as for harnessing the purpose-built molecular motors and nanomotors.
Resume
Dr Liu is currently a Research Fellow at the Centre for Molecular Simulation of Swinburne University, Australia. Liu received his PhD in Physics from The University of Melbourne in late 2000. His research expertises are on the structural and dynamics investigations of solid and soft materials (1993- ), molecular simulation and high performance computing (1996- ), and molecular motors and biomolecular dynamics (2001- ). Liu is presently focusing on the operating mechanism and dynamics of molecular motors. Liu has authored 35 peer- reviewed journal papers and >20 conference papers/presentations. He is a member of The Biophysical Society USA, International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB), and the Materials Research Society (MRS), USA
